Page 64 of The Highlander's Princess Bride
“The only thing you can do is get the hell out of my house before I take my boot to your arse,” Nick replied.
Kade wrenched free from Victoria and rushed forward. “That’s not fair. You know it wasn’t Logan’s fault.”
“He needs to go, Kade,” he said, ignoring the pleading note in the boy’s voice.
Anger flared in Logan’s eyes. “How long are you going to punish me, Nick? For the rest of our bloody lives?”
Nick was vaguely surprised to hear a snarl emerge from his throat. “You won’t have much longer to live if you don’t leave right now.”
“My lord, surely such threats are not necessary.” Victoria’s cool, clear voice cut through the haze in Nick’s brain, like a bracing gust off the loch dispelled a winter mist.
He glanced at her, narrowing his eyes.
“And your little brother is present, in case you’ve forgotten,” she added, not the least bit intimidated.
“Then I suggest you get him out of here,” Nick snapped.
She stepped protectively in front of Kade. “I should be happy to do so, sir, once I’m convinced that neither you nor anyone else is going to commit murder.”
Royal let out an exasperated sigh. “Don’t worry about that.”
“Maybe she should,” Logan said with an ugly laugh. “Because it looks like I’ll have to beat some sense into my brother’s thick Scottish skull.”
The servants let out a collective gasp. Logan had never known when to keep his mouth shut, or show a reasonable amount of deference. Years of exile had clearly not made a difference in that respect.
“Here, now. Ye’ll be showing more respect to the laird,” Angus said in a shocked voice.
Nick flashed him a smile that was all teeth. “Never mind, Grandda. I was always able to take him. He’s clearly forgotten that.”
His brother’s gaze turned as flinty as slate. “I think you’ll find things have changed, brother.”
“Excellent,” Nick drawled. “Shall we give it a go?”
He started to move but jerked to a halt when Victoria slipped in between them. She pressed a slim hand to his chest.
“My lord,” she said quietly, “you are not thinking clearly.”
“Nick, please listen to her,” Kade said in an anguished tone.
Nick tore his focus from her calm face and glanced over at his little brother. Kade was now clutching Royal’s arm, his mouth pressed into a quivering line. Royal grimaced and jerked his head toward the boy, clearly asking Nick to stand down.
When Nick glanced back down at Victoria, he saw understanding and compassion in the depths of her cornflower-blue gaze. He felt something give way, as if a physician had lanced a boil. But left behind was a weariness that dragged at his soul—and a pain he knew would never fade.
His little governess carefully patted his chest, as if trying to soothe a half-wild animal. He couldn’t help but note the irony. On the battlefield, he’d always considered himself a civilized man, one who avoided wanton cruelty and brutality whenever possible. But now he still had to fight the urge to throttle his stupid brother.
“Are you all right, my lord?” Victoria asked.
“I’m fine,” he said curtly.
When her hand fell away and she stepped back, he had the feeling he’d just lost something vital.
“I’m relieved to hear that, my lord,” she said. “This sort of scene is not helpful to Kade’s recovery.” She flashed an imperious glare around the room, taking in his entire family. “The last few days have been exceedingly hard on him.”
When Angus and the brothers—including Logan—exchanged sheepish glances, Nick felt a little more of the poison inside him drain away. Every inch the governess in her neat brown dress and prim white collar, Victoria was fearless in her defense of Kade. His brothers could easily hoist her in the air with one hand, and yet she’d reduced them to shuffling their feet like naughty schoolboys.
She was simply . . . wonderful.
“I quite agree with you, Miss Knight,” Nick said. “And I apologize for my role in those unfortunate events. I suggest you take Kade upstairs so as to avoid any more upset.”
